The tooth you see
Implant Crowns in Turkey
Implant crowns are the teeth you see on top of dental implants. This guide explains how they attach, which materials go into them and how long they last. Because the crown and its connector are chosen for your bite, gums and smile, your dentist confirms the design only after an in-person examination and a CBCT scan.
Implant crowns at a glance
- What it is
- The visible tooth fixed to one implant
- Held by
- A screw through the crown, or cement on the abutment
- Common materials
- Zirconia, lithium disilicate or metal-ceramic
- Crown survival in studies
- 96.3% at 5 years, 89.4% at 10 years
- Trips to Istanbul
- Often two, several months apart
- Check-ups
- Every 3 to 6 months, for the long term
Figures from published studies. However, your dentist confirms your design and timeline after examining you in person.
How implant crowns attach
Every implant crown needs an abutment, a small connector that links the implant to the tooth you see. For example, a stock abutment comes ready-made in set shapes. In contrast, a laboratory designs a custom abutment to follow your gum line. Your dentist then chooses after checking the angle of the implant and the shape of your gums.
Abutments are usually titanium or zirconia. In six trials, ceramic abutments matched the gum colour better than metal ones, especially in visible areas. However, they also broke more often in a review of 60 studies. So the choice balances looks and strength.
- 1
The implant
A titanium screw in the jawbone that acts as the root.
- 2
The abutment
A stock or custom connector that rises through the gum.
- 3
The crown
The visible tooth. It either screws through to the implant or sits on the abutment with cement.
When implant crowns are a good fit
A crown is only as sound as the implant and gum beneath it. So your dentist weighs these points after examining you.
Implant crowns may suit you if
Another plan may be safer if
Screw-retained or cemented implant crowns?
In a review of 73 studies, screw-retained and cemented restorations survived equally well. However, screw-retained ones had fewer technical and biological problems.
Your journey to implant crowns
The crown comes last, after the implant heals. So a common pathway uses two trips to Istanbul, several months apart.
- 1Online
Remote review
Photos and an X-ray or CBCT scan let a dentist prepare a provisional plan.
- 2Trip 1
Examination and implant
First, your dentist confirms the plan in person. Then your surgeon places the implant.
- 3At home
Healing
The implant usually needs three to six months to heal in the bone, and often longer after a bone graft.
- 4Trip 2
Scans and abutment
First, your dentist takes a scan or mould of the implant. Next, the laboratory makes the abutment and crown.
- 5Trip 2
Fitting and bite check
Your dentist fits the crown, tightens the screw or clears away all excess cement, and then checks your bite.
- 6At home
Check-ups
See a dentist or hygienist every 3 to 6 months, so they can check the gum and crown.
Living with implant crowns
Eating
You can chew normally after your dentist checks your bite. However, if you grind your teeth, say so, because grinding can overload an implant.
Cleaning
Brush twice a day and clean between the crown and its neighbours. Otherwise, plaque can make the gum bleed and swell, and infection can reach the bone.
Wear and repairs
Like crowns on natural teeth, implant crowns also wear over time and may need replacing, even when the implant stays healthy.
Risks and repairs with implant crowns
Implant crowns do well in published studies. For example, a review of 46 studies found that 96.3% of implant crowns were still in place after 5 years, and 89.4% after 10 years. Even so, the same review found that problems such as loose screws were common.
Still, most of these problems are repairable. So a good plan states in writing what happens, and who pays, if a crown needs repair.
The screw that holds the crown can loosen. In one review, this happened to 8.8% of implant crowns within 5 years. If so, your dentist can usually tighten or replace it.
Crowns with a porcelain layer on top chip more often than solid ones. In a large review, layered ceramic crowns chipped at 1.65% a year, while solid (monolithic) crowns chipped at 0.39% a year.
A cemented crown can come loose if the cement lets go. In one review, this happened to 4.1% of implant crowns within 5 years.
Studies strongly link cement left under the gum to inflamed gum around the implant. If untreated, this inflammation raises the risk of peri-implantitis, where the implant loses bone.
Although they can look more natural, ceramic abutments break more often than metal ones. Overall, 0.7% to 2.8% of abutments failed within 5 years in one review.
Even when the crown is sound, the gum around it can change with time. In one review, 7.1% of implant crowns had a problem with appearance within 5 years.
What to ask about your implant crowns
Ask any clinic, including us, for clear written answers before you book.
- 1Will my crown be screw-retained or cemented, and why?
- 2Will my abutment be stock or custom, titanium or zirconia?
- 3What is the crown made from, and is it solid or layered?
- 4If you cement it, how will you remove the excess?
- 5What happens if a screw loosens or the crown chips once I am home?
- 6Which repairs does the plan cover, for how long, and who pays for travel?
Implant crowns: your questions
In a review of 46 studies, 96.3% of implant crowns were still in place after 5 years and 89.4% after 10 years. However, no one can promise a lifetime. Also, a crown may need repair or replacement even when the implant stays healthy.
Neither suits everyone, because each has trade-offs. In a review of 35 studies, both had similar 5-year survival, at 97.6% for zirconia and 98.3% for metal-ceramic. Zirconia had fewer problems with appearance but more fractures, so your bite, space and smile guide the choice.
Both are solid crowns with no porcelain layer, while lithium disilicate is a strong glass-ceramic. So far, a review of 28 studies found they did equally well. However, most studies lasted about 2 years, so longer follow-up is still needed.
Often, yes. With solid ceramic crowns, the most common problems were loose screws, loose crowns and minor chips, which the authors judged repairable. However, a larger fracture may mean a new crown.
Often two. On the first trip, your surgeon places the implant. After three to six months of healing, you return for scans and the final crown. However, a bone graft can add time.
Related guides
Medical review required before publication · General information only; it does not replace an examination, diagnosis or personalised treatment plan.
- Wittneben JG et al. Clinical performance of screw- versus cement-retained fixed implant-supported reconstructions: a systematic review (2014)
- Tomar S et al. Cement- versus screw-retained single implant-supported zirconia crowns: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2025)
- Quaranta A et al. The impact of residual subgingival cement on biological complications around dental implants: a systematic review (2017)
- Jung RE et al. Survival and complications of single crowns on implants with a mean follow-up of 5 years: a systematic review (2012)
- Pjetursson BE et al. Veneered and monolithic all-ceramic implant-supported single crowns: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2021)
- Pjetursson BE et al. Survival and complication rates of zirconia-ceramic and metal-ceramic single crowns on implants: a systematic review (2018)
- Tajti P et al. Monolithic zirconia versus metal-ceramic implant-supported single crowns in the posterior region: a meta-analysis of randomised trials (2024)
- Lemos CAA et al. Survival and prosthetic complications of monolithic ceramic implant-supported single crowns and fixed partial dentures: a meta-analysis (2024)
- Pjetursson BE et al. Implant-abutment connection and ceramic versus metal abutments: a systematic review (2018)
- Pitta J et al. Influence of abutment material on peri-implant soft tissue colour: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2020)
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Dental implants in restorative dentistry, patient information (2025)
Implant crowns,
planned for you
First, send a recent X-ray or CBCT scan and a few photos of your smile. A dentist will then explain which crown options look suitable. Your plan stays provisional until your dentist examines you in person.